An exciting new phase of development is now underway at Lancaster Castle.

Please note that during this period there will be no permanent café facility available at the Castle and the ticket office will be relocated to A-Wing. Guided tours and events will continue as scheduled.

Archives

Discover more of Lancaster Castle’s history with our heraldry and convict databases.

Heraldry Database

The Shire Hall houses a splendid display of over 650 shields bearing the arms of every English monarch from Richard The Lionheart onward, as well as all the Constables of Lancaster Castle and the High Sheriffs of Lancashire.

Below you will find a selection of illustrations and descriptions of a small part of the collection, concentrating on the Middle Ages. The descriptions are taken from ‘Heraldry in the Shire Hall, Lancaster Castle’ published by The Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Society (2000) We are also grateful to the estate of Mr Robert Milward for donating a wonderful photographic record of the shields.

Where we have it, the biographical information on the sheriffs has been researched by Dr Colin Penny